I used to wait tables. I saw what people did to the condiment containers (ketchup, S/pepper, etc.). Some really gross things. We were told to simply wipe the tops off, with the same rag that was used to wipe off tables. Ewww.

You did exactly the right thing, no need to offer to pay. The server knows the bottle has been in a kid's mouth, so she will know to clean it before the next customer, which is all that needs to happen.

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I used to wait tables. I saw what people did to the condiment containers (ketchup, S/pepper, etc.). Some really gross things. We were told to simply wipe the tops off, with the same rag that was used to wipe off tables. Ewww.

Yeah, I've seen that before and even wrote a story in the "Never shopping there again" thread. This is why I only use individual packets or nothing at all if those packets are not available.

I used to wait tables. I saw what people did to the condiment containers (ketchup, S/pepper, etc.). Some really gross things. We were told to simply wipe the tops off, with the same rag that was used to wipe off tables. Ewww.

Yeah, I've seen that before and even wrote a story in the "Never shopping there again" thread. This is why I only use individual packets or nothing at all if those packets are not available.

That's a good idea. I'm not paranoid about germs, but when you've worked in restaurants there are just some things that make you go "ewww."

I agree. You did the right thing and the restaurant will do as it sees fit.

On the flip side of this, in my local pub, one of the staff noticed a grown woman use the ketchup then LICK AROUND THE RIM .

My friend (staff) just went over, took the bottle and dropped it directly into the trash. There is a difference between the squeeze bottle and a glass bottle.

She was to squicked out to even attempt to clean it. This particular (now non) patron, had been known to do very strange things with her food and staff ensured that no one else was seated close to her (in a very nice way so as not to embarrass her), but she crossed the line.

That doesn't make any sense. Is your friend also squicked out by people who put their mouths on drinking glasses? If I was her manager, I would have made her pull the bottle out of the trash and wash it. That is ridiculously wasteful.

To the OP, I think it's fine not to pay for the ketchup. You definitely were right to say something to the staff. My kids have on occasion gotten ahold of the salt or pepper shaker. I just take it away, give it to my server, and apologetically explain what happened.

The drinking glass is not left on the table for the next diner..the ketchup bottle is. I have seen some things when I was a waitress that made me shake my head. Some people are just gross.

Of course it's not, but that's no excuse for throwing it away. Yes, some people are gross, but some people have far too delicate of sensibilities as well. Just wash the bottle, refill it, and put it back on the table.

I think one major difference is that a glass has a very wide mouth and can easily be cleaned and sanitized in an industrial dishwasher. The bottle has a long and narrow neck and would definitely require hand washing with a bottle brush (and probably an additional run through the dishwasher to sanitize it). I doubt that could be accomplished without making the label come off.

I think one major difference is that a glass has a very wide mouth and can easily be cleaned and sanitized in an industrial dishwasher. The bottle has a long and narrow neck and would definitely require hand washing with a bottle brush (and probably an additional run through the dishwasher to sanitize it). I doubt that could be accomplished without making the label come off.

Ketchup goes bad. You can't just keep topping up the bottle. The restaurant has to wash them whether people have licked them or not.

It does go bad. We had to check the bottles every so often.

And I can't imagine restaurants would take the time to thoroughly clean condiment bottles - at least not the restaurants I've worked in. It's more simple to replace the bottle.

I think one major difference is that a glass has a very wide mouth and can easily be cleaned and sanitized in an industrial dishwasher. The bottle has a long and narrow neck and would definitely require hand washing with a bottle brush (and probably an additional run through the dishwasher to sanitize it). I doubt that could be accomplished without making the label come off.

Ketchup goes bad. You can't just keep topping up the bottle. The restaurant has to wash them whether people have licked them or not.

It does go bad. We had to check the bottles every so often.

And I can't imagine restaurants would take the time to thoroughly clean condiment bottles - at least not the restaurants I've worked in. It's more simple to replace the bottle.

I worked in one where we did. My boss would have been mad if I had thrown one out.

Interesting. Of course, it's been awhile since I waited tables. And now they'd recycle, I imagine. My boss was the king of cost-cutting, to the extreme!

I agree. You did the right thing and the restaurant will do as it sees fit.

On the flip side of this, in my local pub, one of the staff noticed a grown woman use the ketchup then LICK AROUND THE RIM .

My friend (staff) just went over, took the bottle and dropped it directly into the trash. There is a difference between the squeeze bottle and a glass bottle.

She was to squicked out to even attempt to clean it.

This particular (now non) patron, had been known to do very strange things with her food and staff ensured that no one else was seated close to her (in a very nice way so as not to embarrass her), but she crossed the line.

I watched a mother w/ 3 little kids leave them at the table for a minute to get something; when she came back the littlest one was sucking on the ketchup bottle like a baby bottle. She grabbed it and put it back on the table. Shortly thereafter they left. I took the bottle to the waitress and told her what had happened.

This was at one of those vacation condo places at the beach. I didn't use any condiments for the entire trip. :X